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EDITOR: The present work written by a Pole who served long in the Russian army, is chiefly based on notes and memoranda made during his period of service, and its publication is due to the urgent representations of several English gentlemen who became acquainted with the author in the Crimea. In addition to the new and interesting information given in the work, it affords important proof of the fallacy of the reports so diligently spread by certain parties, that the Polish nationality is destroyed, and that, save in the hearts of a few scattered exiles, the distinction between Russian and Pole has been obliterated. The career of the writer of this work gives a triumphant dementi to this assertion, so often indignantly repudiated by the Poles, and the more so as he bears testimony to the fact that the greater number of his countrymen serving in the ranks of the Russian army are animated by the same feelings as himself.
Captain Chodasiewicz was only nine years of age when, by request, which in the Russian meaning of the word signifies the same as by order, he was sent to the Military Academy in St. Petersburg, and educated for the profession of arms. Though not allowed during his stay at the academy to speak or to read the Polish language, he not only did not forget his native tongue, but cherished in his bosom that spirit of Polish patriotism which the protracted misfortunes of the country, instead of deadening, as is maintained by some, on the contrary tend to keep alive in the heart of the nation.
About Chodasiewicz and his book - in Polish - here
Being employed during the late war in the army opposed to the French and English in the Crimea, and having heard a rumour of the intended formation of a Polish Legion to act against Russia, Captain Chodasiewicz seized the first favourable opportunity to pass over to the Allies with a countryman of his, Mr. Römer, both being actuated by the hope of attaining a position in which they would be able to serve their country—a hope which would have led to a far greater number of desertions among the Poles than actually took place, had any encouragement been given by the Allies.
Employed on the British Staff, our author furnished the military authorities with the most valuable information and excellent plans relative to the state and the position of the Russian forces, and it is but just to add that his services were duly appreciated.
The name of Captain Chodasiewicz is thus honourably associated with the names of the various other Poles who have rendered eminent services to the Allies in the late war, such as Iskander Bey, now Iskander Pasha (Ilinski), whose exploits in the army of Omar Pasha are so well known; as Hidaiot, who, serving in the same corps, and acting as interpreter to Captain Dymock at the passage of the Ingour, induced the Russian soldiers to fly, leaving their artillery on the ground, by addressing them in their own language with admirable presence of mind, and telling them that they were surrounded...
Iskander Pasha Iliński |
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... as Sadyk Pasha (Czaykowski), who, with his regiment of Cossacks, fought so bravely on the Danube ; as Colonel Kuczynski, Chief of the Staff of the Egyptian army at Eupatoria, who was ever foremost in the ranks against the Russians ; as Majors Kleczynski and Jerzmanowski, who distinguished themselves in the Turkish army; and, lastly, as General Count Zamoyski, commanding the division of Cossacks of the Sultan, composed exclusively of Poles, among the number of whom there are many who had deserted from the Russian army, thus giving proofs of the strong vitality of the Polish nationality, and of that unrelenting hatred of the people against the Russians, which, according to Captain Chodasiewicz, was so strongly manifested during the war, that severe measures were taken to repress it, and that the Russians used invariably to attribute their defeats to the agency of the Poles serving in the army, while the latter themselves, far from attaching any idea of disgrace to desertion from the Russian ranks, looked upon their escape from the hated yoke as nothing more than a continuation of that emigration which will never cease as long as the tyranny which now oppresses Poland continues to weigh upon the country.
THE EDITOR, London, June, 1856
WOJNA KRYMSKA 1854-1855. Fragmenty.
Simferopol, 23rd April 1854, celebrationg Easter: "After this they received, each man, two large glasses of vodka (corn-brandy), a piece of white bread, and a pound and a half of beef; the whole of this feast being presented by the inhabitants of the town".
A Voice from Within the Walls of Sebastopol, a Narrative of the Campaign in the Crimea, and the Events of the Siege , London John Murray June 1856
I was incited by curiosity to ascertain the cause of the enormous stores of guns at Sevastopol, and learnt that Sevastopol was the storehouse for the Crimea and the forts of the eastern coast of the Black Sea, and consequently all the old guns from the Caucasus were sent to Sevastopol, as well as those from the different places in the Crimea.
From these arrangements it is evident that Prince Menschikoff expected his visitors from the sea, but that he never dreamt of their coming from the land side.
A number of men by this time had surrounded the officers, and were standing uncovered in the midday sun, Ermalaev asked them:
“ Well, my lads, do you think we shall beat the French and English ?”
“ Yes, sir; if we could only meet them we would soon show them what we are made of.”
“That's right, my lads ! You see all this business is because these Christians stand up for the dog of a Turk, who impales and boils all our brethren.”
“Yes, but how is that, sir, that these people stand up for the Turks and their wickedness ?”
“Why, my lads, you see the Turkish Sultan has promised them a piece of Christian land. No, God will defend us in our holy cause. These English don't believe in God! Not long since they attacked a monastery ! and what do you think was the result ? Why, all their shot rebounded, because it was a holy place! but they could not understand that.”
The men listened to the words of their Captain with great attention; and when he told them that the English had taken the bells from the monastery, they remarked that most probably guns would be made of them to be used in the Crimea or elsewhere against the Russians. The worthy Captain concluded by saying that “ We must all fight for Holy Russia".
(...) Prince Menschikoff, though no doubt a very clever man, was a very unfit Commanderin-Chief. During five months he never once showed the slightest interest as to the manner in which the men were fed, nor did he ever inspect the cook-houses, which he ought to have done.
Russian soldiers in St Petersburg ready to leave for Crimea |
The following is a statement of the pay and emoluments of a Russian soldier
He receives ninety kopecks [kopiejki]for four months' service of which, however, he never gets more than sixty kopecks [one penny=2,5 kopecks]. The rest of the money goes for various stoppages : there is 1} kopecks for the barber of the company; about three kopecks for an image of some saint belonging to the regiment, before which a lamp is supposed to be continually burning; then the men have to find their own caps, and they are charged a percentage for changing the money, which is usually paid in twenty-five or fifty rouble notes.
Besides this he gets ninety kopecks a year to supply himself with the necessary things to clean his arms and accoutrements. A corporal receives one rouble fifteen kopecks (about 3s. 10d.) every four months, and a sergeant-major three roubles (about 10s.), of course subject to the same stoppages as the soldier.
Besides their pay, each soldier receives the leather for two pairs of boots a year, but he must make them himself or pay for the making ; a suit of uniform every two years, and a grey great-coat every three years; coarse linen for three shirts every year, and for the lining of their uniform ; this linen of the worst possible quality.
All the articles of clothing provided by the Government must be worn the full time, and, to enable the men to keep their things in order, a certain sum is allowed every year to the men for repairs; but during the four years I served in the Russian army, I never saw or heard of a soldier receiving this money. What then becomes of it? is the natural question. It goes into the Colonel's pocket. If a man in charge of a company should ever dare ask about all these things, he will soon find himself struck off the list of captains, and turned adrift.
To be continued
Ciąg dalszy nastąpi
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